If someone else’s negligence caused your injury in a bike accident, do not hesitate to contact the Tampa personal injury attorneys of Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers. We could represent you in a lawsuit against the negligent driver or a claim with the insurance company. You might be entitled to financial compensation for your incurred expenses, such as medical bills and damage to personal property.
Although bicycles are good exercise and convenient to ride around the city, they can also be dangerous to the rider. The beautiful weather all year allows bicyclists to take in the scenery at any time. Biking can be a fun experience, but sharing the road with vehicles could lead to an accident and severe injuries.
Despite the many safety precautions bicyclists can take, preventing others from engaging in negligent behavior is impossible. If you cross paths with a careless motorist, a collision could occur. Different types of accidents involving bicycles can be fatal to the rider. A helmet is the only thing that can protect a biker but can’t protect against all injuries.
The Tampa bicycle accident lawyers of Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers can help you in the fight for justice. We will handle every step of the process and negotiate the maximum possible settlement with the insurance company. Our team of experienced litigators can take your case to court if necessary and fight the defense attorney for the compensation you deserve.
For a free consultation to learn more about how we can help you after a bike accident, call us at (813) 605-1100.
Common Types of Bicycle Accidents
A range of circumstances can contribute to a bicycle accident. A distracted motorist could read a text on their phone while driving and drift into the bike lane or run a stop sign and crash directly into a bicyclist already in the middle of the intersection.
The most common types of bicycle accidents include:
- Dooring – If someone parks their car and doesn’t check for approaching traffic, they could open their door into a biker’s path.
- Backing up accidents – Drivers typically don’t back out of parking spaces at high speeds. However, if a motorist doesn’t look behind them, they could back into a biker riding behind their vehicle.
- Sideswipe accidents – A driver must pass with plenty of space between a bicyclist and the car. Driving too close to the biker could cause a sideswipe collision and run the rider off the road.
- Rear-end collisions – A rear-end accident might happen if the biker must share the road with vehicles because there isn’t a bicycle lane. An impatient motorist could tailgate and crash into the back of the bicycle if the rider needs to stop or slow down suddenly.
- Left-turn accidents – A motorist approaching a left turn must slow down and check for oncoming traffic. Completing the left-hand turn without looking can place their car in the path of an approaching biker.
It’s critical to hire Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers immediately after the bicycle accident. We can start preparing your case and hold the at-fault party liable for your injury.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
Turning at an intersection or merging lanes creates challenges for drivers. It’s difficult to see someone bicycling nearby or in blind spots. Sometimes, parked cars obstruct a driver’s visibility, and they don’t realize a biker is about to cross the street until it’s too late. In many situations, driver error contributes to accidents.
The most common causes of motorcycle accidents include:
- Fatigued driving – Although driver fatigue is common, it can endanger other people on the road. When motorists get behind the wheel feeling fatigued, they’re not at full-functioning capacity. They have a harder time focusing and reacting to dangerous conditions. A driver could also fall asleep and crash.
- Distracted driving – Motorists face a range of distractions. Texting, eating, drinking, and other tasks other than driving prevent drivers from noticing what’s happening around them.
- Driving under the influence – Alcohol and drugs impair driving abilities. Drunk drivers typically don’t look out for bikers and could drift into another lane and sideswipe a bicyclist.
- Tailgating – When bicyclists and drivers share the street, the driver must keep their distance. Following a biker too closely prevents braking or slowing down in time to avoid a rear-end collision.
- Speeding – High-speed collisions with bicyclists can have long-term consequences. The rider’s risk of dying in the accident is higher, and disabling injuries can occur.
Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers are ready to take on your case and try to resolve it favorably. Our bicycle accident lawyers in Tampa, FL, dedicate the necessary time to every client we represent. We will create a personalized plan to meet your unique needs. You can expect one-on-one attention no matter what. We will treat you as a priority until the end.
Common Injuries in Bicycle Accidents
When you encounter a driver breaking traffic laws, speeding, or otherwise behaving recklessly, you could get hurt in an accident. Bikers commonly suffer severe injuries when involved in collisions with cars and trucks. The violent nature of the impact can also lead to fatalities. According to statistics, 932 bicyclists died in traffic-related accidents.
The most common injuries caused in bicycle accidents include:
- Permanent scarring
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Facial disfigurement
- Internal bleeding
- Road rash
- Pelvic injuries
- Burn injuries
- Loss of limb or amputation injuries
- Paralysis
- Back injuries
- Fractured bones
- Spinal cord injuries
You probably need ongoing treatment to heal your injury. Hospitalization, physical therapy, and other forms of treatment are necessary to heal wounds, regain mobility, and manage pain. Many people struggle with affording their medical bills and face significant financial strain.
You could end up in debt or pay out of pocket for your expenses. The negligent driver should suffer the financial consequences of their actions. You should not be financially responsible for your bills when someone else was at fault for the accident.
Compensation for Injuries in a Bicycle Accident
Every driver must buy personal injury protection (PIP) with a minimum of $10,000 in coverage. PIP insurance pays for 80 percent of the injured policyholder’s reasonable and necessary medical expenses, no matter who is at fault for the accident. It also covers up to 60 percent of lost wages due to the inability to return to work or earn the usual income.
Since Florida follows a traditional no-fault system, you can’t file a claim with the motorist’s auto insurance company until you file a claim with your PIP insurer first. You can only pursue a settlement from a third-party claim if your injury meets the serious injury threshold. That means you sustained an injury that consists in part or whole of:
- Significant and permanent disfigurement or scarring
- A permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability other than scarring or disfigurement
- Significant and permanent loss of a vital bodily function
- Death
The monetary award you receive from the liability claim could compensate you for losses, such as:
- Emotional distress
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Damage to personal property
You might recover punitive damages if you file a lawsuit for your injury. You can only receive this type of compensation if you show clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with intentional misconduct or gross negligence.
Bicycle accident victims can die during a crash or from a fatal injury. If someone’s negligence caused your loved one’s death while they were riding their bicycle, you could recover compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit for:
- The value of benefits and wages the deceased could have expected to earn and leave to the family if they survived the accident
- Loss of guidance, instruction, and companionship the deceased provided to their children
- Medical and funeral expenses paid by the estate or surviving relative
- Loss of services and support the deceased can no longer offer
- Lost companionship and protection by the deceased
- Lost wages and benefits between the date of the injury and death
- Mental pain and suffering
Deadline to File a Lawsuit
You must file your lawsuit in Florida within the four-year time period outlined by the statute of limitations. That means you have four years from the date of the accident to initiate your lawsuit if you want to hold the at-fault party liable in court. You could lose your right to compensation if the statute expires before you file your lawsuit.
However, multiple exceptions could allow you to toll or delay the statute of limitations period. These exceptions include:
- Legal disability – A legal disability is being of unsound mind or under 18 years old. If you are under a legal disability when the accident occurs, the four-year limitations period won’t start until you turn 18 or gain mental competency.
- Out of state – If the defendant temporarily leaves the state before you file your lawsuit, their absence won’t count towards the statutory time period, which won’t begin to run until they return.
Contact Us
At Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers, we have a team of bicycle accident lawyers in Tampa, FL, with decades of legal experience. We’re familiar with state laws and procedures we must follow to seek compensation on behalf of our clients. You will have a dedicated and trusted attorney in your corner from the moment you hire us.
If you suffered injuries in a bicycle accident due to someone else’s negligent conduct, call Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers for your free consultation at (813) 605-1100 today.
